P. V. Santos

Observation of bright polariton solitons in a semiconductor microcavity

Microcavity polaritons are composite half-light half-matter quasiparticles, which have recently been demonstrated to exhibit rich physical properties, such as non-equilibrium condensation, parametric scattering and superfluidity. At the same time, polaritons have important advantages over photons for information processing, because their excitonic component leads to weaker diffraction and stronger interparticle interactions, implying, respectively, tighter localization and lower powers for nonlinear functionality. Here, we present the first experimental observations of bright polariton solitons in a strongly coupled semiconductor microcavity. The polariton solitons are shown to be micrometre-scale localized non-diffracting wave packets with a corresponding broad spectrum in momentum space. Unlike the solitons known in Bose condensed atomic gases, they are non-equilibrium and rely on a balance between losses and external pumping. Microcavity polariton solitons are excited on picosecond timescales, and thus have further benefits for information processing over light-only solitons in semiconductor cavity lasers, which have nanosecond response times.

Modulation of photonic structures by surface acoustic waves

This paper reviews the interaction between coherently stimulated acoustic phonons in the form of surface acoustic waves with light beams in semiconductor based photonic structures. We address the generation of surface acoustic wave modes in these structures as well as the technological aspects related to control of the propagation and spatial distribution of the acoustic fields. The microscopic mechanisms responsible for the interaction between light and surface acoustic modes in different structures are then reviewed. Particular emphasis is given to the acousto-optical interaction in semiconductor microcavities and its application in photon control. These structures exhibit high optical modulation levels under acoustic excitation and are compatible with integrated light sources and detectors.

Coherent spin transport through dynamic quantum dots

Long coherence lifetimes of electron spins transported using moving potential dots are shown to result from the mesoscopic confinement of the spin vector. The confinement dimensions required for spin control are governed by the characteristic spin-orbit length of the electron spins, which must be larger than the dimensions of the dot potential. We show that the coherence lifetime of the electron spins is independent of the local carrier densities within each potential dot and that the precession frequency, which is determined by the Dresselhaus contribution to the spin-orbit coupling, can be modified by varying the sample dimensions resulting in predictable changes in the spin-orbit length and, consequently, in the spin coherence lifetime.

Superhigh-frequency surface-acoustic-wave transducers using AlN layers grown on SiC substrates

We demonstrate the operation of surface-acoustic-wave (SAW) transducers fabricated on AlN/SiC structures at frequencies as high as 19 GHz. The high SAW velocity of the AlN film is enhanced by the even higher sound velocity of the SiC substrate, enabling us to achieve these frequencies with a SAW wavelength of 400 nm.

Lateral structuring of silicon thin films by interference crystallization

Laterally structured microcrystalline silicon in the submicron range has been produced from amorphous silicon thin films by transient holography using a high‐energy pulse laser. The energy density along the lines of the transient optical grid is sufficient to induce crystallization at the intensity maxima. Large area laterally structured microcrystalline silicon has been produced by selectively etching the amorphous phase with simultaneous growth of μc‐Si:H in a hydrogen‐silane plasma.

Compact Mach-Zehnder acousto-optic modulator

The authors demonstrate a compact optical waveguide modulator based on a Mach-Zehnder interferometer driven by surface acoustic waves. The modulator was monolithically fabricated on GaAs with an active region length of approximately 15μm. It yields peak-to-peak modulation exceeding 90% of the average transmission and operation in the gigahertz frequency range.

Dynamics of lateral grain growth during the laser interference crystallization of a-Si

Laser interference crystallization of amorphous silicon (a-Si) thin films, a technique that combines pulsed laser crystallization with holography, enables the fabrication of periodic arrays of polycrystalline silicon (poly-Si) lines with lateral dimensions between 0.5 and 20 μm. The lines consist of grains with well-defined grain boundary locations and lateral dimensions that are appreciably larger than the thickness of the initial a-Si:H film (up to 2 μm for a 300 nm thick film). We investigated the dynamics of the crystallization process by two-dimensional finite element computer simulations of the heat transport and phase transitions during laser crystallization. The theoretical results were compared to: (i) measurements of the crystallization kinetics, determined by recording the transient changes of the reflectance during laser exposure, and to (ii) the structural properties of the crystallized films, determined by scanning force and transmission electron microscopy. The simulations indicate that the...

Focusing of surface-acoustic-wave fields on (100) GaAs surfaces

Focused surface-acoustic waves (SAWs) provide a way to reach intense acoustic fields for electro- and optoacoustic applications on semiconductors. We have investigated the focusing of SAWs by interdigital transducers (IDTs) deposited on (100)-oriented GaAs substrates. The focusing IDTs have curved fingers designed to account for the acoustic anisotropy of the substrate. Different factors that affect focusing, such as the aperture angle and the configuration of the IDT fingers, were systematically addressed. We show that the focusing performance can be considerably improved by appropriate choice of the IDT metal pads, which, under appropriate conditions, create an acoustic waveguide within the IDT. We demonstrate the generation of narrow (full width at half maximum of approx 15 μm), high-frequency (0.5 GHz), continuous SAW beams with vertical displacement as high as 4 nm collimated over distances that exceed 100 μm.

Laser crystallization and structuring of amorphous germanium

The short-pulse laser crystallization and interference structuring of amorphous germanium films were investigated by time resolved reflection measurements and Raman spectroscopy. We demonstrate that submicrometer crystalline structures with very sharp lateral interfaces can be produced by laser interference crystallization of nonhydrogenated samples. In hydrogenated films, on the other hand, the film surface disrupts upon laser exposure leading to the formation of a free-standing crystalline membrane. The Raman spectra of laser crystallized germanium display effects of finite crystallite size and stress.

Active photonic crystals based on surface acoustic waves

An active photonic crystal (PC) based on the modulation of a one-dimensional cavity resonator by electrically-generated surface acoustic waves is described. The high nonthermal population of surface modes combined with the enhanced Brillouin scattering in the cavity increases the intensity of the scattered light to values comparable to the excitation intensity. This process is employed to switch and modulate light beams in PCs.